The Rose
by Aryius
Summary: A simple gift turns into a big secret. "You don't think...?" She began. "...that it's the same rose?" Her friend finished. "I'm afraid so." One-Shot Inspired by Alistair's rose and Leliana's "inspiration" rose. More info inside. DRABBLE


**Author's Note: **This story will feature two Origin Wardens, Tabris (My Character) and Surana (My Sister's Character), instead of one. For more info on my character, check out my profile. Anyway, this story was inspired by Alistair's rose and the rose Leliana tells you about when you ask her about her vision and what motivated her to join you on your quest.

**Summary: **Aryius Tabris finds out from her fellow Grey Warden, Minari Surana, where Alistair found the rose that he gave her.

**Pairing: **Mentioning of FemSurana/Alistair

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"Hey Alistair, you can go rest up now, I'll take it from here." Aryius Tabris said as she made a gesture back to the camp.

"Oh, thank the Maker!" Alistair exclaimed as he stretched his arms over his head and stood from the log he was sitting on. As he started to head back to camp, Alistair paused as a thought came to him and turned back to Aryius, "Hey is Minari still up?"

A thoughtful expression appeared across her face before she replied. "Hmm…I think so. The last time I saw her she was chatting with Leli."

Alistair took a deep breath before he replied, "Okay, thanks."

Aryius gave him a strange look as he turned to walk away. _'What's wrong with him?'_ She thought before she shrugged and turned around to take her post.

As she sat on the log, Aryius scanned the area before she felt a nudge on her back. Looking behind her, a smile appears on her face as she spots her Mabari, Jace.

"Hey boy, you going to keep me company?" Jace barked happily before jumping over the log and sat down before Aryius. He stared up at her as he wagged his tail then turned to watch the entrance of the camp. Aryius pets him on the head before turning back to continue her watch.

A few moments passed with nothing but the quiet noises of the night before Aryius heard someone call her. Looking over her shoulder, Aryius saw her fellow Grey Warden, Minari Surana, quickly approaching with a barely contained smile and something in her hand.

"Ary, look at this!" she said with excitement as she walked around the log and sat beside the elf rouge.

"A rose?" Aryius said with a raised brow. "O…k. What about it?"

Minari playfully rolled her eyes at her friend's nonchalant reaction and continued on to explain.

"Alistair just gave it to me!" she exclaimed, holding it close to her chest before releasing a dreamy sigh. The smile on her face seemed permanently stuck on her face. "Isn't he so sweet?"

Examining the flower from her position, Aryius asked, "Where did he get it? I don't remember passing by a floral shop recently."

"Oh, he picked it from a dead bush in Lothering."

"A dead bush in Lothering…?" Aryius repeated, her voice trailing off as a memory of something Leliana told her came back to her.

_'__Everyone __**knew**__ that bush was dead. It was gray and twisted and gnarled – the ugliest thing you ever saw, but there it was – a single beautiful _**rose**_.'_

Aryius's eyes widened in realization, "Umm, 'Nari…" She said slowly, "I think that's the rose that Leliana told me about."

"What are you talking about?" Minari asked, confused.

Aryius explained the conversation she had with Leliana awhile back about her vision that had inspired her to join them on their quest to end the Blight.

Minari was quiet for a few moments, allowing what Aryius just told her to sink in. She slowly met Aryius's eyes and matched her expression. "You don't think…?" Minari began.

"…that it's the same rose?" Aryius finished. "I'm afraid so."

Both elves were quiet for a moment before Aryius's face lit up and she snapped her fingers. "I got an idea!"

Turning to face Minari fully on the log, "If Leli asks, just tell her that Alistair bought it for you in a floral shop in the last village we passed by, and it wasn't until recently that he finally decided to give it to you!" She finished with a grin, happy with her plan.

Minari looked at her skeptically, "You don't think she'll recognize it do you?"

"No, I don't think so." Aryius replied, waving off her concern. "Besides, all roses look the same. I doubt she'll be able to recognize it."

She replied uncertainly, "Okay…if you're sure."

"Don't worry so much 'Nari." Aryius reassured.

Minari nodded in understanding, "Okay, then." A second later, she yawned. "Well, I'm going to head off to bed," she said as she stood from the log. "Night, Ary." And with a little wave, she headed back to camp.

After Minari left, Aryius turned to Jace, who, during her conversation with Minari, had moved a few feet away, unsuccessfully trying to catch a cricket with his two front paws.

"Jace!"

Upon hearing his name, Jace looked up from his prey to his owner, tilting his head questioningly.

"Come here, boy," she called as she patted her knee.

Coming over, Jace sat in front of Aryius with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. "You don't think Leli will notice the rose is the same one from Lothering, do you boy?" She asked as she scratched him behind his ear.

Jace barked, responding to her question.

Aryius looked at him in disbelief. "I doubt that." Resting her elbows on her knees, "If I were to place a rose in front of you and then switch it with another rose, I doubt you would be able to tell the difference."

Jace responded with short, sharp barks, arguing with her on the topic.

She narrowed her eyes at the Mabari, "You think you're _so_ smart, don't you?" A happy bark was heard.

Aryius glared at him before crossing her arms and facing away from him. "I don't want to talk to you anymore." Jace began to whine.

"No." Again, more whining was heard with a nudge to her leg.

Glancing at Jace's direction, she saw him give her the puppy dog face. "Oh no," Aryius looked away, shaking her head a bit. "That's not going to work on me, pal. I know your tricks."

Jace's whining soon stopped and silence was left between them. Wondering why Jace was quiet, Aryius was about to look over when…

"Ah!"

…Jace pushed her over the log.

"Jace!"

Happy bark!

**End**


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